Analytics Review & 2020 Running Goals

I am a true nerd about this stuff. I really love diving into the data and analyzing the past year and also my entire running history (that I have recorded data for). Here's an example of my current dashboard. It is so incredible to be able to view these key data points for whatever time interval I decide and compare years, months and training cycles. I could sit here for hours reviewing and trying to find my edge for the next race. I always want to do more than I did the previous year and/or at least change things up for each training cycle. What I love is that I have the skills and analytical mind for this type of thing. It's exactly why I decided to offer the coaching and analytics services. The two services go hand-in-hand and you really need to understand what you have done in training and how that led you to X performance and then how to tweak that to bring about an even greater performance in the future. Everything is a building block and with that I have drafted my running goals for 2020:

1) Run 9-10 marathons (3 on consecutive days and 2 will be a week apart)

2) Run at least 50 long runs (<=10 miles) but specifically focusing on runs <= 16 miles. I really need to focus on running much longer runs sandwiched between 2 rest days for preparation and recovery.

3) Run on average of at least 40 miles per week but aim to bring the mileage up to 50 miles per week when it is not a recovery or taper week.

3) Finish 2020 with 2020 miles.

4) Run at least fifteen 50 mile+ weeks. I would like to get back up to 60 once or twice if there is enough time between marathons to do so. I would love to push it up to 65 at least once.

5) Achieve a personal best in the marathon (aim for 3:45), aim to BQ at least once and run as many sub 4:00 marathons as possible.

6) I have a feeling that if I achieve goals 1-5, I will in fact push myself into another performance threshold which is my ultimate goal. I completely believe I will do this.

From looking at my historical data in mid-2018, what I did before the Niagara Falls Marathon and Newport News is what set the bar for a new level of performance. I ran a tremendous amount of long runs and overall mileage for those training cycles. I am convinced that pushing myself harder and longer made the marathon itself "relatively easy" and at least a marathon that I could still push hard at the end. It also helped that those races occurred on cool weather days as well. So my new goals are all about doing MORE and being better than before. I say this 1000 times, but it is most rewarding to do this as an older runner. It really is. That's what's really great and fulfilling about it and the best thing is that I know I have still NOT reached my running peak yet. There is still more to do and I love just seeing how far I can go with it - for myself. I absolutely do not run for anyone else but myself. I do it because it is rewarding to me and I love how I feel after I have pushed myself in a race or in training. I wish everyone could experience this!!